High school graduates in Michigan will now be able to attend their local community colleges tuition-free. This initiative is part of Michigan’s $19 billion school aid budget for fiscal year 2025, a segment of the state’s $82.5 billion overall budget approved on June 27
Governor Gretchen Whitmer highlighted the new school aid budget on Tuesday, fulfilling the Michigan Guarantee.
This initiative saves over 18,000 students up to $4,800
annually by covering the cost of an associate degree or skills certificate from in-district community colleges.
In her 2024 State of the State Address, Governor Whitmer outlined plans to enhance education in Michigan, including the Michigan Guarantee to ensure access to quality education from pre-k through community college. She set the Sixty by 30 Goal, aiming for 60% of Michiganders to earn a degree or skill certificate by 2030, and established the Office of Sixty by 30 to lead this initiative.
Additionally, Whitmer lowered the minimum age for the Michigan Reconnect program from 25 to 21, offering tuition-free associate degrees or skills certificates in high-demano fields. The budget also increases per-pupil funding for students statewide.
